Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

New therapeutic approach for Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Researchers from Universit- Laval's Faculty of Medicine and the CHUQ Research Center have proven that it is possible to repair the defective gene responsible for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

16 Apr 2010

DNA modification can define early onset glioblastoma

A class of brain tumor that tends to emerge in younger patients but is less aggressive than others can be identified by examining DNA methylation of a specific set of genes, scientists at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center and colleagues with The Cancer Genome Atlas report today online at Cancer Cell.

16 Apr 2010

Cequent Pharmaceuticals commences toxicology study of CEQ508 tkRNAi-based therapeutic candidate

Cequent Pharmaceuticals, a pioneer in the development of novel products to deliver RNAi-based treatments to prevent and treat human disease, has initiated a long-term (26-week) toxicology study of CEQ508 – the company's lead drug candidate based on its proprietary tkRNAi technology. This study is designed to enable a Phase II clinical trial slated for 2011. CEQ508 targets beta-catenin, a key oncogene implicated in the formation of colonic polyps and in the progression of polyps to colorectal cancer.

16 Apr 2010

Certain genetic variations linked to tooth decay, periodontitis

Certain genetic variations may be linked to higher rates of tooth decay and aggressive periodontitis, according to two recently published papers by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine and their collaborators.

16 Apr 2010

Four-protein complex provides new target for thwarting cancer migration, invasion

The molecular machinery that switches on a gene known to cause breast cancer to spread and invade other organs has been identified by an international team led by scientists at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. The paper was published Sunday in Nature Cell Biology's advanced online publication.

16 Apr 2010

FAAN conference provides new insights about food allergies and anaphylaxis

The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (c) is bringing together parents, physicians, dietitians, caregivers, and others for its 17th Annual Food Allergy Conferences. The second of this year's four conferences will be held in Las Vegas and promises to give attendees new insights and strategies about food allergies and anaphylaxis.

16 Apr 2010

Consortium studies gene-drug relationship to determine optimal warfarin doses

If Julie Johnson had her way, doctors would check a patient's genes before writing a prescription. Everyone responds differently to medicines—one that works for you might not work for me, or it could even be harmful. These individual responses depend to an extent on our genetic make-up.

16 Apr 2010

Research may provide better clinical outcomes for patients with aggressive type of brain cancer

A study conducted by a collaborative team led by researchers from the University of Southern California (USC) may lead to better insight into the clinical outcome for some patients with a particularly aggressive type of brain cancer. The research may also provide a framework for development of targeted drug treatments.

16 Apr 2010

Sorrento Therapeutics completes construction of fully human mAbs library

Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. today announced that it has completed the construction of an extensive library of full-length, fully human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). Initial analysis indicates a potential diversity of more than one trillion unique mAbs. The company believes this makes its library the largest full-length, fully human antibody library available for drug discovery and development partnerships.

15 Apr 2010

Exclusive licensing practices slows innovation in gene testing market

Exclusive licenses to gene patents, most of which are held by academic institutions and based on taxpayer-funded research, do more to block competition in the gene testing market than to spur the development of new technologies for gauging disease risk, say researchers at the Duke Institute for Genome Sciences & Policy (IGSP).

15 Apr 2010

Tumor suppressor, Retinoblastoma, represses DNA replication genes during cellular senescence

A frequently mutated gene in human cancers is the reitnoblastoma (RB) gene, which controls a potent tumor suppression pathway.

15 Apr 2010

New findings may allow clinicians to prevent complications in pregnancy

Researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine have found that epigenetic marks on human placentas change from the first trimester of pregnancy to the third, a discovery that may allow clinicians to prevent complications in pregnancy.

15 Apr 2010

Gene causing progressive form of hair loss identified

A team of investigators from Columbia, Rockefeller and Stanford Universities has identified a new gene involved in hair growth, as reported in a paper in the April 15 issue of Nature. This discovery may affect future research and treatments for male pattern baldness and other forms of hair loss.

15 Apr 2010

Gene defect promotes aggressive forms of ovarian cancer

CANCER RESEARCH UK scientists have discovered how mistakes in a key gene drive the early stages of aggressive ovarian cancers. This could improve diagnosis of aggressive forms of the disease and lead to new treatments, according to a study published in the Journal of Pathology this month.

15 Apr 2010

Scientists uncover new genes responsible for cancer, deafness

From deep within the genomes of organisms as diverse as plants, worms and yeast, scientists have uncovered new genes responsible for causing human diseases such as cancer and deafness.

15 Apr 2010

New data from Pfizer Oncology's pipeline to be presented at AACR 2010

Pfizer Oncology announced today that it will present new data from the company's pipeline, including two novel, dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitors (PF-04691502 and PKI-587, also known as PF-05212384); crizotinib (PF-02341066), an ALK inhibitor that also inhibits c-MET; and PF-04605412, an anti-α5β1 inhibitor.

15 Apr 2010

Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, AACR awarded four Innovative Grants for pancreatic cancer research

The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network and the American Association for Cancer Research awarded four Innovative Grants; three Career Development Awards; one Pathway to Leadership Grant; and one Fellowship Award to outstanding researchers for their innovative research proposals which have the potential to lead to medical breakthroughs in the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

15 Apr 2010